Bicyclist dies of crash-related injuries

Published: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 11:48 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 11:58 a.m.

MONTEGUT -- A 26-year-old Montegut man died Sunday of the massive internal injuries sustained nearly two weeks ago, when he was allegedly hit by a drunken driver, a family member said.

Marlin Payne Jr. was riding his bicycle on La. 55 when he was hit by a pickup truck and dragged for close to a hundred yards, police said. He died at 4:10 a.m. Sunday at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center.

In the 12 days that followed the Nov. 13 crash, Payne never regained consciousness, according to his aunt, Veida Walcott.

"I was there till the day he died," said Walcott, 50, adding that Payne died of severe brain injuries. "I was just heart broken. His dad was sick, and we took him up there and he just couldn’t take it."

The pickup’s driver, 57-year-old Eugene Hidding of Houma, was arrested at the scene. Hidding took a breath test and registered a blood-alcohol level of .175, more than twice the legal limit of .08, said Trooper Gilbert Dardar, a spokesman for State Police Troop C.

Payne was riding his bicycle north from his house on St. Matt Street to a convenience store near La. 55 and La. 24 about 6:30 p.m. when he was hit from behind. Hidding, who was driving a 1991 Ford F-150 pickup northbound and pulling a trailer that carried a small motorboat, veered onto the right shoulder after rounding a slight bend just south of the Klondyke Bridge, police said, hitting Payne with enough force to smash the truck’s grill and crumple the hood.

He remains in the Terrebonne Parish jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond for the vehicular-homicide charge and a $75,000 bond for the vehicular negligent injury and improper lane usage.

Vehicular homicide, a charge that includes drunken driving, carries a minimum of five and a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine between $2,000 and $15,000.

Sabrina Fick, who stopped her car after she was flagged down by another driver who spotted the injured Payne, said Hidding got out of the pickup truck, approached Payne, made a vulgar remark, then got back in the truck and tried to drive away. However, the trailer holding his boat had come off the hitch in the impact, police said, preventing him from leaving.

Walcott said the family took some solace in Hidding’s swift arrest.

"We was happy that they did catch him, and he’s still in jail," she said. "The law’s going to take care of all of that."

Walcott said her nephew was a 1999 graduate of South Terrebonne High who loved his pet dogs.

"We loved him. He was very sweet, very polite," she said. "He didn’t harm one person. He was mostly to himself. We’re really, really going to miss him … for somebody to take his life like that."

Walcott said losing Payne to an allegedly drunken driver has been "a heartbreaker" for his parents, his sister and six brothers.

Roads in Terrebonne, she added, are simply not safe.

"People don’t care about other people. And they shouldn’t drink and drive," Walcott said.

<p>MONTEGUT -- A 26-year-old Montegut man died Sunday of the massive internal injuries sustained nearly two weeks ago, when he was allegedly hit by a drunken driver, a family member said.</p><p>Marlin Payne Jr. was riding his bicycle on La. 55 when he was hit by a pickup truck and dragged for close to a hundred yards, police said. He died at 4:10 a.m. Sunday at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center.</p><p>In the 12 days that followed the Nov. 13 crash, Payne never regained consciousness, according to his aunt, Veida Walcott.</p><p>"I was there till the day he died," said Walcott, 50, adding that Payne died of severe brain injuries. "I was just heart broken. His dad was sick, and we took him up there and he just couldn’t take it."</p><p>The pickup’s driver, 57-year-old Eugene Hidding of Houma, was arrested at the scene. Hidding took a breath test and registered a blood-alcohol level of .175, more than twice the legal limit of .08, said Trooper Gilbert Dardar, a spokesman for State Police Troop C.</p><p>Payne was riding his bicycle north from his house on St. Matt Street to a convenience store near La. 55 and La. 24 about 6:30 p.m. when he was hit from behind. Hidding, who was driving a 1991 Ford F-150 pickup northbound and pulling a trailer that carried a small motorboat, veered onto the right shoulder after rounding a slight bend just south of the Klondyke Bridge, police said, hitting Payne with enough force to smash the truck’s grill and crumple the hood.</p><p>Initially charged with first-degree vehicular negligent injury and improper lane usage, Hidding now faces a charge of vehicular homicide.</p><p>He remains in the Terrebonne Parish jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond for the vehicular-homicide charge and a $75,000 bond for the vehicular negligent injury and improper lane usage.</p><p>Vehicular homicide, a charge that includes drunken driving, carries a minimum of five and a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine between $2,000 and $15,000.</p><p>Sabrina Fick, who stopped her car after she was flagged down by another driver who spotted the injured Payne, said Hidding got out of the pickup truck, approached Payne, made a vulgar remark, then got back in the truck and tried to drive away. However, the trailer holding his boat had come off the hitch in the impact, police said, preventing him from leaving.</p><p>Walcott said the family took some solace in Hidding’s swift arrest.</p><p>"We was happy that they did catch him, and he’s still in jail," she said. "The law’s going to take care of all of that."</p><p>Walcott said her nephew was a 1999 graduate of South Terrebonne High who loved his pet dogs.</p><p>"We loved him. He was very sweet, very polite," she said. "He didn’t harm one person. He was mostly to himself. We’re really, really going to miss him for somebody to take his life like that."</p><p>Walcott said losing Payne to an allegedly drunken driver has been "a heartbreaker" for his parents, his sister and six brothers.</p><p>Roads in Terrebonne, she added, are simply not safe.</p><p>"People don’t care about other people. And they shouldn’t drink and drive," Walcott said.</p>